I suppose I will get my wrists slapped for replying to the list, but this is important to all of us.

Not long ago when the NDP were running the show here in Ontario I headed up a Community Development project which focused on health lifestyles. We helped people to develop community kitchens and gardens, worked on public awareness of barriers to healthy lifestyles using the social determinants of health and so on. It was a very successful project. The new government decided to have us "devolve" and entrust all programs and resources to the local Public Health Unit. Now we have eliminated the Nutrition Divison (but still have dieticians - one per "team"). Our resources sit in storage. There is no follow-up with regard to community kitchens. We believe that most have shut down. However, there is a bright side.

While we were devolving I was able to sit on our Mayor's Anti-Poverty Task Force. We entrusted the community gardens to the Health Unit under the Nutrition Division which umbrella-ed these gardens under the auspices of Heart Health. The next year when the Anti-Poverty Task Force could take over the funding. the funding goes from year to year and we never know whether the gardens will receive their funding until well-past the date when the "crops" have been planted. One person (the original coordinator of the gardens) runs the show. I am delighted to share that the number of gardens has mushroomed (couldn't resist the pun).

I think this is one of the best attacks on the underlying causes of heart disease - isolation, poor nutrition, blah blah blah...

I think this model has been proven, but I am at a loss to justify it to any governmental agency that must focus on the "bottom line". We have identified that gardeners saved $$$ and ate more vegetables, exercised more and learned about sun safety, the dangers of smoking and how to preserve their harvests as well as went on many field trips, eg strawberry picking, apple picking and farm tours. Our new Canadians have told us they learned their communication skills in the garden where they had a mutual love to share. They also explained that the gardens allowed them to feel good about themselves when they were able to eat foods that they remembered as staples in their homeland.

Hope this helps a little Ralph. Sorry to rave on and on, but this was the love of my life and I mourn the loss of this job and this community development project every day.

Susanna Scott Suchak
Health Promoter
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phone: 519-663-5317 ext. 2279
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>>> [log in to unmask] 01/30 7:23 AM >>>
I am speaking to the 36 medical officers of health of Ontario on Friday.  Any
suggestions?

Dennis

you wrote:

  I am interested in knowing what it is that you believe public health should be
doing to address this rather than focusing on "lifestyle" modification.  We
have been raising determinants of health issues at the political level for
years to no avail.

Your ideas for translating this research into action would be appreciated.
Joyce Fox

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